ISAIAH OSBOURNE has revealed he got a crash course on Hibs’ Scottish Cup hoodoo when a fed-up fan sat next to him on the train home to Birmingham.

The midfielder will take part in one of the biggest games of his career next Saturday when Pat Fenlon’s men go head to head with Aberdeen in their Cup semi-final at Hampden.

And Osbourne knows exactly what’s at stake after a punter begged him to help end 110 years of hurt during a train trip that seemed to last just as long the club’s wait for glory.

The Englishman said: “I’m a laid-back kind of guy but I got a rude awakening and a quick history lesson about Hibs’ record of not having won the Cup for 110 years.

“I was on the train to Birmingham and there was a Hibs fan sitting beside me. All he kept talking about was the club’s famous hoodoo.

“The train got delayed for two hours and it was a long journey because the supporter talked at me for four hours.

“As soon as the train stopped he was just at it right away.

“He told me that Hibs have to win the Scottish Cup – he was practically begging me to do it.

“It was non-negotiable. I understood fully what he meant as a club this size should not have gone 110 years without winning the Scottish Cup. It is about time we rectified that.

“If I was a supporter and saw one of the players on the train then I would approach him and probably implore him to do the same by winning it for the fans.”

Osbourne has an extra incentive to triumph on Saturday because he’s battling brother Isaac, who plays for the Dons, for a place in the final.

Family bragging rights are at stake and the former Aston Villa starlet is desperate to come out on top.

He said: “I don’t think Isaac will be able to start the semi-final because he has been out injured for six weeks but he should make the bench for Aberdeen.

“The whole family will be up to watch this game and it will be hard for them to pick who they want to win.

“I guess it is a test of my popularity in my own household.

“Now we will find out who the favourite brother is in the family.

“Everyone will probably have special scarves made up with one half Hibs and the other half Aberdeen.

“It is a win-win situation for the family but I just hope by the end of the semi that the bragging rights belong to me.”

Osbourne hopes it is third time lucky for him on the big stage after missing out when Villa reached the Carling Cup Final and FA Cup semis in 2010.

He didn’t even make the bench for those glamour games with Manchester United and Chelsea so the 24-year-old is keen to make the most of his big chance to shine at Hampden.

Osbourne said: “I am kind of buzzing about playing at Hampden Park in the Scottish Cup semi.

“Villa got to Wembley twice in my time there but I didn’t play in either game as we lost to United in the Carling Cup Final then to Chelsea in the FA Cup semi. I didn’t even make the bench.

“Hopefully it will be third time lucky and I will get to play against Aberdeen and help the team to win.

“Semi-finals and finals are the games you want to be involved in as a professional footballer. I can’t wait for this match and will relish every moment.”

The Cup has been a welcome diversion for the Hibees this term during their fight against the drop in the SPL – and Osbourne is also no stranger to being involved in a battle at the wrong end of the table.

When he was on loan at Nottingham Forest three seasons ago the midfielder successfully staved off relegation from the Championship.

The former European Cup winners eventually finished seven points clear of the drop zone – but suffered a few scares along the way. Now Osbourne is hoping that experience with Forest stands him in good stead as Hibs and Dunfermline battle to save their SPL skins.

And he believes the story will have a happy ending again.

Osbourne said: “I was involved in a relegation scrap with Nottingham Forest three years ago and we survived that with just two games to go.

“Like Hibs, Forest are a massive club and when I joined they were pretty much in trouble. So I knew what I was getting myself involved in. But when I first came to Hibs nobody probably expected us to be down at the bottom of the league.

“During that campaign at Forest our form at the City Ground was not great.

“It is the same with Hibs this season as we have won just once at Easter Road in the league.

“Our results this season show that we prefer to play on our travels.

“We just have to dig in home or away and grind out results so we can battle through this.”